An interview with Ze'eva Cohen. Five of the 40 works Ms. Cohen has choreographed since 1968, collected under the title "Female Mythologies," will be performed in a program dedicated to Ms. Cohen's mentor, Anna Sokolow, who died on March 29. Ms. Cohen's own impassioned performances, the true models for their roles, are remembered from her performances with Sokolow's company during the 1960's. <P><BR> <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/artleisure/zeeva-dance.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/artleisure/zeeva-dance.html</A> <P>(This link will operate until 16 April.)<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 09, 2000).]

Haven't had a chance to read the Zeva Cohen article yet...I was struck by and saddened to hear about Anna Sokolow passing away. She was my teacher and mentor at Juilliard over 20 years ago (I can't believe it's 20 years!) I was so lucky to have had this experience with her!! She was truly one of the "greats" in modern dance. Her uncomprimising passion for dance, her demands in rehearsal that you always do the movement "full out", ..so much of what she said continues to influence me to this day. Her values embody the values of the early modern dance pioneers--ie. doing work which shows concern with social issues, willing to do work which is not "pretty" or slick but has a resonance and meaning on a deep level; I hope these values continue in modern dance. For those interested..some of her "great" works---"Rooms" , which shows the isolation and alienation of life in a big city, "Dreams", her indictment of Nazi Germany, are two which spring to mind..these works are classics and continue to be relevant even into this millenium.

<P>Anna Sokolow<P><BR>Trina, many thanks for your memories of Anna Sokolow. She is someone I want to learn more about. Could you suggest any sources Trina? Here is the obituary from The Times. <BR> <A HREF="http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/04/06/timobiobi02002.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/04/06/timobiobi02002.html</A> <BR>

For those who are interested in information about Anna Sokolow: <P>(1) The Vision of Modern Dance-edited by Jean Morrison Brown; a series of essays by modern dance pioneers. Essay by Anna Sokolow is entitled "The Rebel and the Bourgeois" which gives a nice, brief introduction to Anna's philosopy.<P>(2) There is a biographical book: it's back on my bookshelf in Seattle. I think it's by Larrry Warren. I can't remember the title. I will update ya'll on this one. <P>(3) As far as videos of her work, they are hard to come by. A person who might know is Daniel Lewis, Dean of Dance at New World School of the Arts (Miami). He was a protege of Anna's for many years and may know of any documentation of her works.<p>[This message has been edited by trina (edited April 11, 2000).]

I've read a couple of the obituaries on Anna Sokolow. Was surprised to read, well I hesitate to say "negative" , but it seemed like they wanted to stick Anna's work in the box of "depressing" repertory. I think of her piece "Ballade", an exhuberant piece set to Chopin or Scriabin (I think) ; "Magritte, Magritte", a downright funny piece highlighting the painting of Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte, the list goes on.

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